


Watch Your Six

by xLoLix



Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-24 15:26:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3773758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLoLix/pseuds/xLoLix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Soooo, how did you meet?'</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>I got angry then I wrote a fic and by the end of it everything was better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watch Your Six

'Oh my -- if you just flanked them, this would be easier.'

'What the hell are you doing?'

'Don't be an asshole, asshole.'

'I'd love to help, but you died in the shittiest place possible.'

'The objective is this way.'

'What... what are you...'

'Did you even set your tracker.'

'I know you have a rocket launcher. Maybe try using it.'

'Fuck!'

'Watch your six.'

'Watch your six!'

'Watch. Your fucking. Six!'

'Maybe' the ghost hummed, 'if you turned on your comm. link, they'd be able to take your advice.'

'Yes well they should know all that!' Kim snapped back. Her frustration was thrown into a hard punch directed toward an unfortunate dreg. 'Are they not guardians?'

Her ghost rarely made comments, but her anger was beginning to affect her performance. It was incredible that she lasted so long functioning at her usual personal best.

Kim knew what her ghost meant by it. She noticed it in herself too. She was beginning to get as reckless as the guardians she was teamed up with. She was throwing herself at the enemy a little too literally. It often got her killed too quickly, leaving too many left standing. It made any attempt at helping her ghost to finish its rez cycle faster nearly moot since the line Kim was trying to break was still neatly intact.

It was several of Kim's more frequent criticisms of other guardians wrapped up in one action.

'You're right. I'm no good like this. After this I'm gone.'

The ghost hummed in acknowledgment. True to her word, Kim left the team after the objective was completed. She wasn't compelled to make any more comments on anyone's performance. Herself included.

She made her usual rounds in the Tower, dropping off 'interesting' junk at the Cryptarch's, and picking up her bounties. Instead of heading to her quarters, she headed for the hangar.

'Don't worry,' Kim assured her ghost. Its concern was almost palpable sometimes. More so as of late.

She picked a landing almost at random, she was not feeling up to going off planet. Her ghost let off another worried hum.

'Yes. I know. Place is still flooded with light, what difference does it make?' Maybe 'flooded' was an exaggeration but she was still right in a sense. There was enough of the Traveler's light here to make it safe enough. She isn't necessarily cut off from the Tower either. Sure, trying to hail the Tower and open up a comm. link would be a pain, but not impossible.

Wandering off the grid really only meant you were out of touch with other guardians. That was kind of the point.

The warning did make Kim wary of the idea of Fallen suddenly dropping right on top of her head. The valley was open and with some cover. The sound from the river meant the guardian could not rely on her ears. She was suddenly acutely aware of the sky and the mountain cliffs.

'What's that doing here?' Not quite trusting her eyes, Kim looks through the scope of her scout rifle. 'Where's its guardian?'

Sure enough, there is a lone ghost moving quickly through the low foliage across the valley. There was something about the way it glided that didn't sit right with Kim. It was too... direct.

'I'm not asking the right questions here, am I.' Kim said after a pause.

She aimed her scope further along, well past the ghost. There. Up river. A set or old railroad tracks, and... tunnels? Well at least now it's clear where the ghost is headed.

Kim set aside her rifle and made a move to follow the ghost. 'Ugh. I don't know,' she blew out a breath. 'Something in my gut is telling me... It's going to be worth checking out, I'm sure.' Her ghost hums in acknowledgment. At least the tunnels will mean she's not out in the open.

It takes Kim longer to reach their objective. She has to compensate for having to cross the river (unbeknownst to her, she's lucky its the dry season). The tunnels also seem to run the length of several mountains. She emerges to what was once a small town along a highway that runs parallel to the tracks. Probably intended to be a pit stop for anyone traveling through. There was enough here to house a small community.

Bullet holes and rubble left behind a lingering tale of desperation and ultimate defeat. But like so many places, the wear of centuries gone by muted the effect. Without the smoke, or the smell, or the blood, it was easy to ignore.

The ghost was easy enough to find. It cast that familiar blue light as it scanned here and there. It spares the titan a glance before returning to a spot it seems particularly fixated on. 'Hullo guardian. You are just in time.' It practically sang.

Kim was stopped short of asking when the ghost entered its rez cycle. A sight the titan was far too familiar with as of late.

She put the bitter thoughts aside when a guardian materialized face down on the ground. The guardian -- hunter by the looks of their armour -- moved a sluggish hand to the front of their helmet. The ghost moves to hover in front of their helmet. They're talking to each other.

Kim kneels down next to the hunter. She surprises herself when she has her hand on the side of her helmet, ready to switch open her comm. link.

The hunter props themself up on their elbow and looks up at Kim. The titan answers when she sees the ping on her HUD.

'Who're you?' Their voice came out with a higher, more feminine pitch. There was also that strange warble present that is unique only to exos.

'Hakim.'

'Okay Hakim.'

'Just Kim is fine.' The titan sighs.

'Okay Kim.' The exo pauses for a moment. 'So you came all the way out here to help out little ol' me?'

'Don't really have anything better to do.' Kim shrugged. It was the truth.

'Ugh.' The exo groaned. She turns over to lie on her back. 'Is this the part where things start shooting at us?'

'What?'

'Oh. Well. I just have really crap luck when it comes to waking up and, y'know, like, in the middle of a fire fight.'

Kim was going to retort with some comment about how ridiculous that sounded but stopped short when the titan started to remember several eerily similar scenarios in her experience. 'Huh. I guess I can relate.' She stands up and offers the freshly forged guardian a hand.

I guess this is the part where they start heading back to the grid. They'd be able to hail for a pick up from there. Mostly, there was no way she'd trust a complete stranger in her ship for the extended period of time it would take to get to the Tower. On top of that, Kim was _not_ going to be personally responsible for hauling some fresh forger back to the Tower. Kim starts off in the direction of the railroad. She slows to a stop right at the mouth of the tunnels. Earlier, the tunnels were a relief from the exposed valley. What was different now that made them feel like a bad idea, the titan couldn't tell.

'You don't sound all that thrilled to have found me.' The new guardian seemed to be scrutinizing her.

'I'm not.' The statement came out a lot quicker than Kim intended. Shaking her head, she starts moving forward again, unwilling to be spooked by something as silly as the dark. 'If I'm going to be really honest, I've already put up with having to deal with guardians far older than you who have not impressed me with their performance. stumbling across a fresh forger guardian is easily the worst thing that happened to me so far today.'

'Are... you counting on it getting worse?'

'We're over due for getting shot at aren't we?'

'Oh yeah.' There is a thoughtful pause. 'I don't even have a rifle.'

Right. Most new guardians are forced to scavenge for a rifle in order to survive. How does anyone as stupid as some of the guardians Kim has met manage to survive that long?

They walk in silence for a good long while.

'Hey did you feel that?'

'Feel what?' Kim looks over her shoulder to see the exo had stopped dead in her tracks.

There was no warning for what happened next. In one moment, Kim is turning to ask the exo what she means. The next, the titan has the visor of her helmet pressed flat against the ground. When she tries to lift her arm to get up, her shoulder screams in protest. She's looking forward to telling the story behind the funny railroad track shaped bruise across her ribs and collarbone. _If I survive._ She pushes the grim thought aside.

'-- hear me? I need you to get up already so we can move!' The exo extends an arm to drag Kim unceremoniously back on her feet. She didn't even realize her ears were ringing.

'Fuck! What now?' Kim has her rifle ready and pointed down the tunnel. Her aim is unsteady.

Or what was left of it. Rock, dirt and concrete spilled in from the side of the tunnel. There are no obvious openings. A scan from the ghost confirms that it's not worth trying to dig through. The tunnel was firmly blockaded.

The exo had her gaze turned up toward the ceiling. There were long, deep cracks with dirt and dust still leaking out of them. The ground shakes around them.

'Okay. You should have definitely felt that one.' The exo says.

Kim just gives the hunter a look that she hopes translates even through the helmet and visor.

'Take that as a yes.'

Kim swears under her breath when her tracker starts lighting up. The titan gives her new partner a once over then hands over her rifle. 'Here.'

The hunter hesitates, but accepts the offer. Her tracker must be telling her a similar story. She would be defenseless behind enemy lines otherwise.Their only option now was to head back and for Kim to do what she initially refused to do. All the titan had to do was swallow her pride and help the new guardian out. Instead, she's going to have to trust her six to some fresh forger.

The tremors continued as they made their way back the way they came. Rubble was now littering the rail. When Kim thought they should have been coming close, her tracker flairs red.

'Remember how our bad luck was long past due? I think it's coming back with a vengeance.'

The exo laughs. 'But the plan.'

'Just muscle our way out. We should be close to the exit.' She looks over at her partner. 'You do know how to use that right?' Kim points, referring to her own rifle.

'Yes! God.' The hunter makes a motion with her head like she's rolling her eyes.

With that, both guardians pick up their pace. She was right. The mouth of the tunnel was in sight. But an opening in the side of the tunnel revealed a cavern with the Hive swarm pouring out into the tunnel, blocking their only exit. Without her primary weapon or heavy ammo, Kim is forced to make this a close fight. Nothing she can't handle. What she wasn't expecting was the more-than-slightly larger than average Knight. It swung wide and sluggish. Kim may have let out a squeak when a pile of debris was obliterated in her place. Her fusion rifle doesn't have many shots left in it, but at least it can put a dent in this behemoth. She pulls it out.

Kim tracks the Knights blade as he draws it back, counting the seconds it takes to prep for another blow. Another strike narrowly misses, cracking the concrete behind where she once stood. She takes aim at the Knight's third eye. Her shot is stalled when a sharp pain shoots down her arm --

The fire from her own scout rifle sends loud cracks echoing down the tunnels and caves. The loudness of it cutting through the terrible screech of the hive swarm. Several thralls fall near and around the titan.

'Watch your six!' The exo yells through the comm. She is still further in the tunnel, picking off hive from behind cover.

Kim acknowledges the criticism. The irony of the circumstances did not escape her. Her ghost was going to have a silent look or two for her later. Probably to let her know that this fresh forger is going to be worth keeping around.

She refocuses on the Knight, chipping away at it between its wide swings. The titan makes an effort to keep moving to draw out the smaller Hive for the hunter to continue picking off. It wouldn't last. Specifically Kim's ammo reserves. Too many shaky shots from an injured arm on a dangerously stubborn Knight was starting to grate on her. She knew her fusion rifle couldn't keep up and it's come back to bit her in the ass when it gives off a timid click in response to her pulling the trigger.

With her fusion rifle useless and strictly out of other options, the titan draws power from the light of the Traveler. It surges with the power of her rage and frustration poured into it. There is a narcotic, almost peaceful feeling when that energy floods and envelops her in the moment before she lets it go in the form of an explosive crash of lighting. There is another moment of boastful satisfaction at the crackling sound of static from the bodies of dying hive.

It is not until that she is mentally brought back to the real world, in real time that she realizes too late that the Knight survived. It was only blown back and stunned. Before the titan could even stand back up, the Knight's free claw darts out and picks Kim right off the ground by the helmet. She looks the Knight dead in the eye and in an instant she sees the ceiling, then the ground and finds she's too winded to inhale.

Through watery eyes, Kim sees a marker moving quickly on her tracker toward her location. There is also an imposing red colour marking the centre spot. She manages to leverage herself up on her good arm to see exactly what she feared. The Knight is winding up for a final strike with its blade to finish the job. The hunter is darting out of cover sprinting toward her.

Her lungs wouldn't start working fast enough. Kim manages one ragged breath to yell a desperate plea. 'Don't--!'

_The darkness envelops her like a blanket. The embrace feels somehow gentle. It whispers assurances of the awesome, terrible things to pass. The birth of a new era. The rise of a prince and a king. Promises of --_

Her feet hit dirt and solid ground with a hard thump. Kim staggers forward, catching herself before she trips. The titan takes a deep, reassuring breath to steady herself.

'Oh hey,' her comm. blinks at her. 'You're back!' The exo giggles. 'That was some pretty slick moves you pulled back there.' Her HUD lights up a waypoint marking the hunter's location.

'Yeah... I...' Kim gives her head a shake, clearing her thoughts. She starts wandering lazily in the direction of the waypoint. Exhaustion catching up to her. 'Hold on a second, what happened while I was out? What the hell were you doing?'

The exo makes a nonchalant noise. 'I handled it. Everything's fine.' Kim was afraid to ask how but the hunter just continued on anyways. 'It didn't look like you were gonna make it, so I used the moment the Knight was distracted to get to a better position. If I could outrun them -- which I did -- I'd draw the Hive out of the tunnel and in the open.'

It was a good strategy. The faster ones would catch up quickly, but it left the rest of the forces lagging behind. 'And the Knight?'

The hunter snorted and let out a mocking laugh. 'Didn't stand a chance. You pretty much killed it with that cool lightning trick of yours.'

Huh.

There was silence on the comm. until they managed to rendezvous not far from the mouth of the tunnel. It was quiet there now. The hunter did not hesitate in handing back the loaned rifle. Instead it was Kim who hesitated.

'You left me.' She didn't sound accusatory or bitter. Just a statement of fact.

The exo shrugged. 'There was enough light for your ghost to bring you back.' She nodded at the rifle, an insistent gesture offering Kim to take back her weapon. 'Also, there was that huge ass Knight t-bagging your corpse. No way I was touching that with a ten foot pole.'

The titan couldn't help but laugh at the crude imagery. She settles down and takes back her rifle, studying it for a second. 'And you just... knew to do all that.'

'Hell no. I was told.'

Kim cocked her head to the side.

'My ghost and I haven't really stopped talking since I woke up.' Ah. That would explain it.

'You still went along with it so easily.'

'Well duh. Kinda have to be dense not to incorperate rez cycles tactically in in a fire fight. I'd imagine that'd come naturally to guardians.'

'You'd be surprised.' Kim deadpans.

'I mean, you and your ghost must talk about stuff all the time, right?'

Kim shakes her head slowly.

'Wait, really? That whole time in the tunnel I thought you and your ghost were chatting it up...'

'Nope. My ghost doesn't do talking. I had to learn all that crap on my own. Or, I thought I had to.' There is a shy hum from her ghost after that last statement. 'Lets get out of here. My ship can pick us up from here.'

'You could have done that this whole time?' The hunter's voice goes up an octave and her hands come up to the top of her helmet. 'Is there anything else I need to know?'

Kim doesn't say anything to that. It's going to be an interesting flight home. Maybe this hunter's company is going to prove to be refreshing.

'My name is Liv-24 by the way.'

**Author's Note:**

> So one time I was on strike playlist and was not really impressed with any of the players I got matched with. It was the inspiration for this and a good excuse to have two idiots banter back and fourth.
> 
> Shoutout to Lulu for being an asshole. Asshole. <3


End file.
